Locomotive



(No Model.)

W. T. WELLS.

LocoMoTIVE.

Patented Apr. 10,1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T.- WELLS, OE HACKENSAGK, NEW JERSEY.

LOCOIVIOTIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,739, dated April 10, 1883.

(No model.)

`arranged vertically above the driving-wheel,

the piston-rod being connected b y a suitable pitman or connecting-rod with the drivingwheel, while the piston-rod is itselt substantially axially coincident with a line drawn through the axis of the axle to the point of contact ofthe wheel with the rail or road way. This construction insures the transmission of power from the piston-rod to the wheel in suchv manner that the direction in which the power is exerted is always in the same direction as that in which the locomotive or vehicle propelled is going, except atcertain points where the direction is perpendicular to the track, thereby preventing retardation ot' the forward movement ot' the wheel by avoiding any backward thrust, as occurs with the use of the horizontal piston-rod. Ashitherto proposed, however, this apparatus has been Vincapable of successful'practical application to locomotives, for the reason that a cylinder being rigidly connected with the boiler is liable to change its position with relation to the wheel with every jar or change in the substantially vertical position produced inl the boiler by the action of the springs underneath.

My invention is designed to obviate this by enabling the boiler to move vertically without interference with the stability of the cylinder, and this I secure by interposing an elastic or otherwise exible steam-connection between the boiler and the valve-chest of the cylinder.

Figure 1 is a front view, showing the arrangement of the parts included in an apparatus constructed according to my said invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale, representing certain parts thereof; and Fig. 3 is a similar view, representing a modification of my said invention.

A is an axle, upon each vend ot" which is a driving-wheel, B, the latter provided with a crank-pin, C.

The rail or road way is represen ted at D, the point ot' contact of the circumference ot' the driving-wheel with the said rail or road way being indicated at c.'

E is the. steam-cylinder, placed vertically above the wheel B, with its piston-rod F axially coincident with a vertical line or plane drawn from the axis of the axle A to the point a, at which the circumference of' the wheel rests upon the track or roadway D. This piston isl connected with the crank-pin G by a connecting-rod or pitman, G.

. The cylinder is attached to the frame-work of the locomotive in any suitable manner, provision being made to retain the said cylinder at a permanent or uniform distance from the driving-wheels. This is to be done by attaching it to that part ofthe frame-work which is independent ofthe movementot the boiler upon its springs as said boiler rises and 'falls as the springs are more or less compressed by the jarring incident with the usual motion ofthe locomotive.

The boiler is shown at H, and is connected with the valve-chest, or with the valve-chest ot' each cylinder when more than one is used, as represented in Fig. l, by a substantially ilexible tubular connection, I. This connection may be effected bya metal pipe placed in such manner that its iexure will enable it to respond to the movement ofthe boiler with reference to the cylinder; or, instead ot' this, the connection may be formed of a suitable iiexible pipe-such, for example, as properly prepared rubber or other tubingas indicated in Fig. 3. Inasmuch as the connection I is enabled to yield to the variation in distance between the boiler and cylinder as the boiler moves up and down, it follows that no wrenching or other injurious ei'ect is exerted upon the cylinder in the operation ot' the apparatus, and by this means I enable the principle ot' propulsion hereinbefore specified to be practically applied with advantageous results, whereas without my said invention the apparatus would quickly destroy itself, and to all IOC practical intents and purposes will be of little or no use.

I do not claim any combination of parts shown in British Letters Patent No. 373 of 1856, as the mechanism described in said patent is different from that embraced in mysaid invention, and incapable of producing the results effected by my said invention 5 but What I claim as my invention is In an apparatus for the propulsion ot' locomotives and the like, the combination of the following` elements, to wit: a cylinder and its piston and piston rod, placed vertically above the driving-wl1eel,the piston-rod being,`

connected by a suitable pitman or connectingi rod with the crank-pin of the driving-Wheel,

and substantially coincident with a line drawn I through the axis of the axle tothe point ot' contact with the wheel of the rail or road way, the frame-work carrying the cylinder independent of the movement of the boiler, the boiler supported upon springs in the usual or any suitable manner, and the flexible or yielding tubular connection between the steamspace of the boiler and the valve-chest of the cylinder, the whole constructed, combined, and arranged forjoint use and operation sul stantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

WILLIAM TWINING WELLS.

Witnesses: l THOMAS E. URossMAN, l CHAs. P. BLINN. 

